Early look at new fungicide options at VicVID

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Growers attending the Victorian Vegetable Field Days (VicVID) at Catani, south-west of Melbourne were able to inspect new fungicide options prior to commercial release.

Corteva Agriscience showcased three new fungicides, Verpixo® Adavelt® Active fungicide, Zorvec® Enibel® and Zorvec® Encantia® fungicides which are shortly due for release .

Corteva Horticulture Marketing Manager, Nick Koch, said there was much interest at the field day in the new Verpixo Adavelt active fungicide.

“Verpixo is a new Mode of Action (MoA) fungicide to control multiple ascomycete pathogens that are particularly challenging for growers in Australia and throughout the world.”

“It will be particularly useful across a wide range of crops and diseases.”

Nick Koch, Ben Whykes, and Tom Loveless from Corteva Agriscience with Stuart Grigg, from Ag-Hort Consulting at the recent VicVID field days.

The diseases controlled by Verpixo include Grey mould (Botrytis) and Powdery mildew in berries, Grey mould (Botrytis) and Powdery mildew in grapes, Powdery mildew and Target spot in Fruiting vegetables, Yellow Sigatoka in Banana, Gummy stem blight and Powdery mildew in cucurbits and Powdery mildew, anthracnose and sclerotinia rot in Leafy vegetables.

“There is no cross resistance from Verpixo Adavelt active with other fungicides used for ascomycete pathogens so this will suit many horticultural programs and allow growers to think strategically about resistance management,” Mr Koch said. “In many cases existing chemistries are under threat of resistance so the opportunity of having a robust alternative is very positive.”

Verpixo’s mode of action, along with its short harvest withholding periods and low toxicity, gives growers the flexibility to successfully manage diseases in crop strategically throughout the year.

“Its outstanding performance in early trials led Corteva to consider it on a wide range of crop types and diseases. In Australia it will be available on many horticultural options.

Nick Koch, Ben Whykes, and Tom Loveless from Corteva Agriscience with Stuart Grigg, from Ag-Hort Consulting inspecting disease control from Verpixo® Adavelt® active fungicide at the recent VicVID field days.

Growers at the VicVID field days were also able to inspect the next incarnations of Zorvec fungicide.

Mr Koch said the two new Zorvec products were the next evolution from the highly successful Zorvec® Enicade® fungicide which had been on the Australian market for several seasons.

“Zorvec is a Group 49 unique single site mode of action product with strong activity on Downy mildew. It is, however, a chemistry that could easily develop resistance without careful resistance management stewardship.

“To assist with resistance management, Zorvec Enibel will contain the current active ingredient oxathiapiprolin in a mix with mancozeb.”

“As well as the advantage for resistance management, this new product has an improved spectrum of diseases (oomycete plus ascomycetes and basidiomycetes) and will be available in an easy-to-use WG formulation.

Growers were able to see the excellent disease control of Verpixo® Adavelt® active fungicide at the recent VicVID field days.

Mr. Koch said Zorvec Enibel is easy to mix and measure, is low dust, disperses and suspends well in solution and has rain-shield technology for improved rain fastness.

It will be available on onions, cucurbits, brassicas and poppies.

Zorvec Encantia fungicide was the other new formulation showcased and will be available for leafy vegetables and brassica leafy vegetable growers.

It will be a mix of the current Zorvec active (oxathiapiprolin) and famoxadone in a single product designed to have multiple effects on the life cycles of downy mildew.

“The combination will provide good resistance management options but also have increased disease spectrum in a single product,” Mr Koch said.

“It will also have excellent rain fastness, easy-to-use formulation and outstanding field efficacy.”

He said the VicVID field days were an ideal opportunity for growers, consultants and agronomists to look at the new products coming through the Corteva R&D pipeline and understand how to adapt new technology in their individual enterprises.

“These new products have been well researched in Australia and overseas and we are keen for growers to see their effectiveness first-hand prior to them being made available commercially.

Registrations for Verpixo Adavelt active fungicide and Zorvec Enibel and Encantia fungicides are currently pending approval from the APVMA.